Stephen Feldman

Ellis & Winters LLP | Raleigh

“My favorite two movies are Hoosiers, the 1986 movie with Gene Hackman, Dennis Hopper and Barbara Hershey, and Field of Dreams. Beyond that, I’m a big fan of David Mamet, if his films count as a genre.”

Vita: 39; born in Springfield, Ill.; bachelor’s from Washington University and law degree from the University of Chicago; married with two children, a dog named Sage and seven chickens (the fresh eggs can’t be beat).

Why he chose to specialize in this field: I love working with talented clients and colleagues to solve hard problems. Antitrust and competition law — and complex business litigation more generally — fit that bill. Each matter requires deep thinking, clear communication and teamwork. The facts vary from case to case, and the legal and economic concepts are dynamic and inherently interesting. We live in a market-based economy. How the law regulates those markets affects all of us.

What he’d be if not a lawyer: A sports journalist — Jonah Keri, in particular.

Favorite place: Wrigley Field.

Hero: My late brother Neal. Born with muscular dystrophy, he passed away before his 10th birthday. Despite enduring incredible pain through no fault of his own, he had especially positive energy. Neal’s short life vividly illustrates that some things in life just cannot be explained, and that lifelong mourning is not something to shy away from. I embrace Neal’s legacy as powerful evidence that, no matter the circumstances or the adversity of the moment, happiness is ultimately a choice. I think about him every day.

Favorite book: Give and Take by Adam Grant. Through stories and empirical evidence, the author shows that being a giver — that is, a person who enters into social interactions with a preference to give more than he receives — can be financially rewarding, despite the perception that givers are doormats. The book then provides strategies to avoid the doormat fate.

Netflix obsession:House of Cards.

Passions: I love to cook, and I love to eat. To make those endeavors possible, I also do a lot of distance running.